Eight parishes in the Diocese of Portland will be able to undertake community initiatives, thanks to grants from Catholic Charities.

Parish Social Ministry, a Catholic Charities Maine program, has announced that eight parishes will receive Catholic Campaign for Human Development parish grants totaling more than $23,000. The mission of the program is to provide leadership, guidance, Catholic social teaching education, and training to empower parishioners to compassionately serve people of all faiths living in their communities. The CCHD parish grants support initiatives that aim to solve community-wide problems, empowering those in need to make ongoing life changes and to become more self-sufficient while offering parishioners the opportunity to serve those less fortunate.

In the Midcoast, Parish of the Holy Eucharist — which serves Falmouth, Yarmouth, Freeport and Gray — received a $5,000 grant. It will be used to assist the parish’s Aging with Grace program, which provides outreach, education, training, and events to meet the spiritual, social, and emotional needs of area seniors, both Catholic and non- Catholic. The parish’s goal is to assess particular community needs and respond to them as well as develop a “toolkit” for other parishes to utilize for senior programs.

Other grants were awarded to Holy Savior Parish (Rumford and Bethel), St. Paul the Apostle Parish (Bangor, Brewer, Hampden and Winterport), Parish of the Precious Blood (Caribou, Presque Isle, Portage, Washburn, Fort Fairfield, Mars Hill, Limestone, Ashland and Stockholm), Parish of the Resurrection of the Lord (Old Town, Orono, Bradley, Indian Island), St. Anthony of Padua Parish (Westbrook), St. Mary of the Visitation Parish (Houlton) and Corpus Christi Parish (Waterville, Winslow and Belgrade Lakes).